Lifter tool



H. D. DAVIS LIFTER TOOL July 11, 1950 Filed Oct. 25, 1946 Hafz'u RDavis. I

Patented July 11, 1950 I -'UNITEDY STATES OFFICE I 2,514,628 I v hLIFTER TooL' I Harry D-.-Davis, Toledo-,iflliio 8 Application-ctober25,1946, iseriarubl zoans This invention relates to hand tools forengaging,transferring and releasing articles therefrom.

This inventionhas utility'whenincorporated in jar lifters, especiallythe widemouth bottle type 'ofglass container convenient for chargingwith vegetables'and fruit, as well as other items, but more especiallyin the food stuffs line for household use. In the putting up of items,as for outof-season use thereof, the empty as well as charged container,jar or can, may be immersed or heated. The grapple device of thisdisclosure enables the housewife or worker to select a particular jar,and maneuver such jar to an accessible position. the tool being operatedto firmly engage such jar. The tool, with the engaged jar dependingtherefrom, may be then lifted and the jar taken to a position forsterilizing treatment, washing, charging, heat exposure, as in an ovenor bath, or set aside for later attention. As the jar is deposited inthe desired place, the grapple is spread to freeing position and thetool is cleared for such further or subsequent use as may be in order.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention as alifter for fruit jars, say of the Mason or Ball type; the tool herebeing in closed or jar engaging position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tool in jar disengaging or openposition, with a difierent type of jaw joint than the showing of thelink in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the invention with a yield joint betweenthe jaws, in lieu of the hinge of Figs. 1, 2, with a diiierent handleand slight differences in the reciprocable control;

Fig. 4 is a view of the closed jaws from the line IV-IV Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the jaw spread control from the lineV-V, Fig. 3, but with the control at jaw opening position.

Ends 1, 2, of a wire (Fig. 1) are shown with a short link connection 3as a hinge joint between a pair of oppositely outwardly bowed jawportions 4. These jaws 4 approximate a common plane in extent withapproximately parallel outward portions 5 remote from the hinge link 3.

Considering the jaws 4 and portions 5 as in a horizontal plane, abruptlyupward therefrom at the outer ends of the portions 5 are parallelstraight portions 6, providing a seat region limit for the control.Continuing upward from the portions 6, slightly convergingcontrol-actuating guide portions I extend to parallel arm portions 8.The portions 8 have a top bend 9 to a pair of 1 Claim. (01. 294-33),

' str'aightiportion's Ill embraced by a sheet metal 'clip o'r s'le'eVeII. Beyond the clip I I, the wires spread into a handle portion I2having an end closing cross connection I3. The jaws, arm and handle'areia 'singl'epiece of wire, with the ends connectedi'at the link'joint 3. i The'control hereininvolve's a' thumb rest or up"- wardlyterminating cap seat I4 for a vertically extending stem I 5 thru a guideopening I 6 in the clip II near the bends 9. In the extent of this stemI5 thru the clip II and therebelow, a loop or finger seat I! isprovided. The seat I1 is spaced from the seat I4 a slight excess overthe rise from the guide portions I. From the loop I'l, the stem I5extends to a spanning or embracing section I8 of a transverse extentsnugly to hold the portions I. At this position of the control wirestem, the seat I! is in proximity to the under side of the clip II andthe seat I4 is spaced upward from the general plane of the handle clipII, I2, I3. A fruit jar I9 at the region just below its neck ring rim orflange 20, may have the jaws 4 hooked or entered thereunder as the hinge3 is brought to the far side of the jar. The operator then thrusts thestem I5 downward by pressing his thumb on the seat I4. As the embracingportion I 8 rides ofi the guide portions 1 in movement away from theportions 8, the portion I8 brings the jaws 4 into jar neck engagingposition. The portion I8 may then be at rest in the seat region 6,efiective so to retain the grapple, even for orienting a charged jar oftwoquart size.

A. hinge pin 2| may provide connection between the ends I, 2, of thejaws 4, in lieu of the link 3. An acceptable type of wire for economicalproduction service is an aluminum alloy with suflicient resilience torespond to the reciprocable control in down thrust to bring the grapplejaws to engaging position and there hold. At once upon the operatorurging the finger loop I! toward the plane of the handle I0, II, I2,I25, the jaws automatically spread, as allowed by the riding of theportion l8 from the seat region e to the portions 8 over the guides I.The jaws thus are free in the normal open position to be brought to aposition for use.

Instead of the hinge connection between the jaws 4, there may be springaction at a flat loop portion 22 (Figs. 3, 4). Wire ends 23, 24, may beat a wood handle 25 about the stem of an eye 26 screwed thereinto. Theeye 25 there provides a guide for the stem I5, herein located in frontof, instead of back of the plane of the arm portions 8. A thumb rest 21may extend rearwardly into convenient relation with the handle 25. In-

stead of a1oop,1the1 e is a short return bend arm 1 in shifting from theseats 6 along the guides I to the arm portions 8-' allow the springaction from the loop 22 to spread the jaws 4 along the guides 1 betweenthe'seats 6 and the arm portions 8.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

A lifter tool comprising an adjustable grapple portion adapted toembrace an article to be lifted and released, said tool, remote from thegrapple portion having a handle portionadapted to be grasped by a handof an operator ofthe tool,

said tool also comprising an intermediate connecting portion from whichthe grapple portion 20 is offset in one direction and the handle portionis offset in the opposite direction approximately parallel to thegrapple portion, said connecting portion forming a guide, and a slideshiftable toward and from the grapple portion and coacting with theconnecting portion guide, there being a stem extension from the slidealong its connecting portion to an end seat adapted to be pushed by afdigit oi the hand 01' the operator grasping the h; "dle portion tocause the grapple portion to be a usted while the tool is sustained thruthe 5 handle portion as grasped by the operator, said s t' m'extensionintermediate its extent to said end seatjhaving a loop in proximity tothe handle portion adapted to be engaged by a different digit of thehand of the operator of the tool to cause the grapple portion to bereversely adjusted from the operation effected by digit action at theseat.

HARRY D. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 893,541 PlemonJuly 14, 1908 1,184,752 v Keller May 30, 1916 1,457,379 Mareau June 5,1923 1,672,311 Ermatinger June 5, 1928 1. 2,011,497 Miller Aug. 13, 1935Neils Apr. 2, 1946

